Fetal Rights - Protecting the Unborn

Unborn babies, like this one between 9 and 10 weeks gestation, need protection too! | Source

In this day and age everyone is fighting for the rights of people of all walks of life - rights for illegal immigrants, rights for gays, lesbians and trans-genders, rights for women, rights for the elderly, rights for the disabled, the list goes on and on.

Many of those who fight for the rights of such people are often very vocal and they join together in their fight in order to gain power and have a voice. But what about the most innocent, the most vulnerable form of life that does not have a voice and cannot speak for itself?

What about the rights of the unborn?

There are more rights for animals, trees and the environment than for the fetus that is developing inside his/hers mother's womb, developing to the point of being born one day - a life that began nine months prior.

No Chance at Life

Since the Supreme Court case, Roe v. Wade made abortion legal in the United States in 1973, there have been over 50 million lives who were not protected and as a result had no chance at living life.

I have written other pro-life articles and have had several people argue with me about why abortion should be legal and why the unborn do not have a right to be protected. A few of these reasons are listed below:

The fetus is not yet a human life until he/she is able to breathe fully on its own

Life does not begin at conception

Population control

Women's rights and the right to choose

The unborn child has a disability

Woman not fit to be a mother

The woman was raped

A girl got pregnant at a very young age

The child would be born into poverty

Many pro-abortionists feel that all of the above are good reasons that abortion should be totally legal. But believe it or not, I don't believe any of the reasons listed above gives anyone the right to kill a fetus that is growing inside its mother's womb.

Fetal rights are necessary to protect the most innocent and vulnerable who cannot speak for themselves.

The womb is supposed to be a place of safety and security for the unborn child. | Source

The Fight for Fetal Rights

The American Convention on Human Rights: Signed but not Ratified by the U.S.

In 1969, the American Convention on Human Rights was signed by 24 Latin American countries. This treaty which became effective in 1978, sees the issue of fetal rights as a human rights issue and states that from the moment of conception, human beings have rights.

Article 4.1 of the treaty states: “Every person has the right to have his life respected. This right shall be protected by law and, in general, from the moment of conception. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life."

This treaty is open to all who are members of the Organization of American States, an organization which has its headquarters in Washington D.C. The United States signed this treaty in 1977 but has yet to ratify it.

"TracyAndZachariahAtFuneral" by Tracy Scheide Marciniak - National Right to Life Committee. Tracy Marciniak, holds the body of her son Zachariah. Ms. Marciniak was seriously injured, and Zachariah was killed, by an assault at nine months gestation. | Source

The Unborn Victims of Violence Act: Opposed by Those who are Pro-choice

In 2004, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act was passed. It was signed by President George W. Bush. This law makes it illegal to kill a "child in utero" without the mother's consent. The law defines "child in utero" as "a member of the species Homo sapiens, at any stage of development, who is carried in the womb".

The photo to the right was on display as Tracy Marciniak testified in favor of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. The photo was also on display on the floors of both the House and Senate during debate on the legislation.

The Unborn Victims of Violence Act was strongly opposed by those who are pro-choice because Roe. v. Wade states that according to the Fourteenth Amendment, the human fetus is not a "person" and that if the fetus were a "person," then he or she would have a constitutional right to life.

At the time this bill was proposed, Senator John Kerry stated, "I have serious concerns about this legislation because the law cannot simultaneously provide that a fetus is a human being and protect the right of the mother to choose to terminate her pregnancy."

Nebraska's Fetal Pain Law: Deterring Late-term Abortions

On October 15, 2010 Nebraska passed an unprecedented law under the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The law passed based on medical evidence which demonstrated that a fetus can feel pain by 22 weeks (six months) gestation. Since then the following states have passed similar laws giving babies in the womb added protection from late-term abortions:

Kansas

Oklahoma

Alabama

Louisiana

Arkansas

North Dakota

Texas

West Virginia

Two other states, Georgia and Idaho have pending litigation regarding laws adhering to the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.

Source

Please Don't Harm Your Unborn Child

The United States is a champion for fetal rights when it comes to the actual health of the fetus. We as a country try to encourage pregnant women not to smoke, drink or do drugs because of the harmful effects these behaviors have on a fetus.

In fact some women in this country have been prosecuted or arrested under child abuse laws when their destructive behavior affects their unborn child.

How can we be for the health of a fetus but not for its life at the same time? Fetal rights shouldn't end at just making sure the fetus has a right to be healthy, fetal rights should ensure that the fetus has a right to continued life.

Love and Life - two of the many results when fighting for fetal rights | Source

More Pro-Life Articles

How Pro-Life is Your State?Every year, the pro-life group, Americans United for Life (AUL) ranks each state according to how pro-life they are. Find out where your state ranked in 2011.

Defunding Planned ParenthoodPlanned Parenthood, the largest abortion business in the United States, performs 305,310 abortions a year, or just under one-third of all American abortions. In their 2007-2008 fiscal year, this non-profit...

Standing For Life in the Midst of Roe v. WadeJanuary 22, 2010 marks the 37th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision to legalize abortion in this country. During the week of this anniversary, several pro-life people gather together to reflect on the 50...

Aborting Down Syndrome Babies90% of all babies with Down Syndrome are aborted. When asked the question, "would you abort a baby with down syndrome?" some people have answered with the following: "While some people are prepared to...

Things I Don't Understand About AbortionOctober 4, 2009 marked Respect for Life Sunday for the Catholic Church. Although I am not Catholic, I am a Christian. And as a Christian I believe I am to respect all life. ALL life includes unborn babies. ...

Comments

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Mo 3 months ago

Would have been a happy grandma Kelly. Except for my 16 year old son never came to me to talk about the forbidden that he was informed about. Furthermore I believe it was bullied into paying for something he didn't believe in or furthermore his parent doesn't believe in. I don't understand how the maternal grandmother who works for the so-called peace protectors is protected by this. She is an abortionist. Why would it be any different for me to walk right up to her and kill her dad like she did to my grandbaby I have no heart no more it's gone broken death will become me

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Cari Jean 3 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Jyoti - Thank you so much for your kind comments and for sharing my Hub. I especially want to thank you for your fight for the right of unborn babies. I believe it's a battle we can win!

Jyoti Kothari 3 years agofrom Jaipur

Thanks for such great hub. I am also fighting for the right of unborn babies. I was active in the hub page forum for long time to advocate those unborn.

I am grateful to you for writing a hub for those who don't have a chance to fight or speak. Rated up, useful. beautiful and awesome. Shared in H+ and facebook.

Kathryn L Hill 5 years agofrom LA

Believe me, it is refreshing to see someone trying to speak/write the truth! And admit it...

it does take guts, even in Bizmarck!?

Kathryn L Hill 5 years agofrom LA

Oh, I know! Somehow we've got real time! That rarely happens! Well, I am in L.A. and Its kinda liberal here. Being politically correct is very important to those people who are in the movie industry. One cannot speak the truth in LA, as one can in Bizmacrk, ND I suppose!

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Cari Jean 5 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Kathryn L Hill - It's not that I'm trying to be politically incorrect, I'm just trying to speak or in this case, write the truth!

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Cari Jean 5 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Margolyn - thanks for your comment. I totally agree with your that the child is innocent - the baby in the womb being the most innocent being of all despite how their life is started. Rape or incest should not be a reason to kill an unborn child.

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Cari Jean 5 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Kathryn L. Hill, thanks again for your continuing comments. I wholeheartedly agree that even before four months we are destined to become a human being and that the God of love does not want us to murder. Also, I have no desire to see The Hunger Games.

Kathryn L Hill 5 years agofrom LA

...and that is where Freedom of Choice should start! We all HAVE it! All we have to do is EXERCISE it!

Mind over womb! Come on Women.... Lets use our M I N D S! Thanks for having the guts to be politically incorrect, Cari Jean!

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Cari Jean 5 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Hello again Shahid Bukhari and thanks for the comment. I don't really get a lot of my information from the hyped-up media that you talk about and regarding "the Media's Hyped Banners of ..."Freedom" ... "Christianity" and "Zionism". Well their liberal views are just the opposite of freedom, Christianity and Zionism. TO me it is a more simple matter that the Bible says that he has formed us in our mother's womb and that life is sacred whether it is in our out of the womb. That is why I believe the way I do, not because of what the media is trying to tell me because frankly, their views are quite the opposite.

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Cari Jean 5 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Kathryn L. Hill - thank you for your comment. I do agree that if a woman doesn't want to face the choice of whether or not to abort her baby, then she should first make the choice not to get pregnant.

Kathryn L Hill 5 years agofrom LA

The nickel should not be knocked out from between the woman's legs, but she should keep it there until the possibility of conception is accepted and acceptable. It is a matter of science. Its not like we don't know how babies are made!

That Rule, by the Majority of "numbers" Favours the Minority, at the cost of the Majority ... in any "Democratic" Set up ...

That Sex is not the yardstick of human Morality ...

That "for'' or "against" numbers, does no Represent the Truth ... but a "gullible" public's clamour for justice !

MARGOLYN 5 years ago

Consensual or not, our bodies automatically go into baby making mode. Rape or not, the criminal is not the child or the mother, the criminal should be punished, not the innocent child. Sometimes when a woman is in the wrong place at the wrong time, she is violated, and that is sad. But killing the innocent child is focused on the wrong person. The rapist is the criminal and he should be punished.

Kathryn L Hill 5 years agofrom LA

Even before "four months" the lump was destined to become a human being. Murder is murder. God of Love does not want us to murder. Avoid conception to avoid murder.

PS The movie, The Hunger Games, shows kid on kid homicide. Note to those who have ears to hear: don't bother to see it.

Kathryn L Hill 5 years agofrom LA

Who is to say one way or the other? I guided the development of my being from the time of conception. Who can argue with me? and how dare you give us all a lot of grief with your negative attitude.

Shahid Bukhari 5 years ago

Cari Jean

Any "thinking" ... based in "Predigested Opinions" ... "fed" by a highly prejudiced Media to its following, has nothing to do with Reality of Islamic Laws and Values ...

The West's current perception of Reality, in the strangle-hold of its Media ... Thus, in the hands of the "wise ones" of your Media ...

The "idea" behind these Directed Media Hypes, is to create "Hatred and Dissensions" ... not only "Inter-Faith" but also, "intra-Faith" Hatred and Dissension ... creating an abyss, between all "Religious Beliefs" ... thus, dividing "Believers" ...

Media Hypes are "created" by relying on two factors; first, the "casual" reader or viewer's lack of definitive information about a subject ... and two ... the "gullibility" of such ill-informed viewers, to all sorts of idiotic "Suggestions" ...

From what you say, it appears that you have conducted substantial Researches on the subject of Islam ... but your Research, as I said, is based, in the "available" Information ...

Therefore, what you know about Islam, is based in, the available "disinformation" spread, by your Media, on behalf of your Multinational Corporations ... who are the Real Rulers of the "Free" and "Democratic People" of the Civilized West ...

Thus, the Shouting "Terrorist" Hype ... whenever, or where ever you see a Muslim, is a part of disinformation about the "religion" of Islam ...

But you hear no such "Slogans" when your Corporations use your Politicians, to kill and maim' men, women and children ... indiscriminately ... under the Media's Hyped Banners of ..."Freedom" ... "Christianity" and "Zionism".

Anyway ... The Koranic State Is ... "Do not kill your children, in fearing Poverty" ...

The Issue raised by your question needs, Defining of ... the "Living" ...

And I, relying on Prophet Muhammad's [Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon him] said ...in "Defining" the Koranic State of ... the "Living" ...

Thus, the Fetas "Lives" at the point of

In case you need any help in this matter, please feel free to ask me for any help or guidance.

Regards

Kathryn L Hill 5 years agofrom LA

It is wishful thinking to think that there is no responsibility to protect the fetus once it is conceived. I really think the soul is guiding the development of the fetus on a blueprint level. It must be a feeling of not being wanted at the point the fetus is sent back to the spiritual world where we all come from. If we want to be able to give the love of a willing heart and acceptance of warm arms, we should be proactive and not involve the unconceived. How hard is it to prevent pregnancy? Just keep the egg and the sperm far away from each other if you are not ready to take on the responsibility of raising a new human being.

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Cari Jean 5 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Shahid Bukhari - I'm not sure why you are writing a letter to John Kerry in the comments section. But I thought that the religion of Islam was against all abortion. I also thought abortion was illegal in many Muslim countries. But I guess I may have to do more research.

Shahid Bukhari 5 years agofrom My Awareness in Being.

To

Senator John Kerry ... and Expecting Mothers

Dear US Senator,

I am conscious of your and the US Congressmen's Concerns about the, Ante-Natal "Fetal Rights" Legislation ...

Because, your Science, has no Definitive Answer to the Question ... as to "When should a Foetus, be considered, a Living Human Being" ... ?

So I thought I could help your Clergy, Scientists, Congressmen and Moralists with sorting out this Cognitive impasse; by teaching you the "Islamic Concept" of Fetal Rights ...

In the Islamic Concept ... The Foetus is just a lump of Flesh and Blood, for the first 120 days of conception ... Meaning, it is not a Living Human, till the 120th day of its Conception.

Inother words, there is "no Life" in the lump of Flesh and Blood, till it gets to be 4 [four] months old in the Bearer's womb ...

On the 120th day of Conception, "Soul" is Introduced into the lump and that makes the Foetus, a "Living Human" ... Meaning, after 120th day of gestation, the Foetus "Lives" ...

Thus, the question of Aborting the lump of Flesh and Blood, from its mother's womb ... before, the Introduction of Soul ... is approved in Islamic Jurisprudence. Though the dogmatic Mullas and your Clergy may disagree with the Law, for their own reasons.

Regards

Syed Hasan Shahid Bukhari

31st January, 2012

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Cari Jean 5 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Red Oaks - thanks so much for your encouraging comment. I must warn you that when you start writing pro-life hubs, Google will not allow advertising on them. Which is fine with me because I don't write these pro-life articles to make money but instead to increase awareness and possibly even to save just one life from being aborted.

Red Oaks 5 years agofrom Starkville, MS

Fantastic Hub! Thanks for speaking up for the rights of the unborn. I am new here and just getting to meet people. I know that I will eventually have to add another voice to the pro-life community in a Hub soon. I posted a Hub about 80s music and the thumbnail to your Hubs was placed on my profile. Upon reading several of your Hubs, I gotta say, Cheers! I am impressed by what I see here.

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Cari Jean 5 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Margolyn - thanks so much for your comment. I agree - Abortion does punish the most innocent among us. I will check out your hub.

Margolyn 5 years agofrom Wisconsin

See Margolyn's hub about Victimless? Abortion does not punish the criminals, it only punishes the innocents.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

EMWynnwritessews2 - I totally agree with your comment. We who are alive should have that instinct to defend life instead of ending life.

EMWynnwritessews2 6 years agofrom Orlando, FL

Defending life should not be difficult...defending life should be instinctual, yet too many women (and men) choose to murder every day when they choose abortion to end the life of a baby. Thanks for bringing this topic to the forefront!

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

James - good to see you! Thanks so much for your comment. I hope you are doing well and have a very blessed 2011!

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Karanda - Thank you so much for your comment and for sharing part of your story. I love that you continued to the pregnancy, though I know it must have been very difficult. I believe that God truly blesses those who make such a decision.

James A Watkins 6 years agofrom Chicago

I agree with you wholeheartedly. You are right about this issue. The American Holocaust of Abortion is a stain on our national soul. God forgive us!

Karen Wilton 6 years agofrom Australia

At eleven weeks pregnant, I was given the choice of having my baby terminated because of the risk of her being born with a chromosome abnormality. I chose life in spite of the problems that lay ahead of us.

Emily was born with Trisomy 18 (Edward's Syndrome) and while it was a brief life of only eight and a half months, it was a life. It was her life and I feel honoured to have been a part of it.

Thank you for your courage in submitting this hub. The more we talk about it the more chance of things changing.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Craan - Great comment - very well put! Thank you so much. I agree 100% with every word.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

bettybarnesb - thank you so much for your comment. You are so right, God does have a plan for each life - He knows the child before they are even conceived. We will now never know what over 50 million babies could have been when they grew up.

Sheila Craan 6 years agofrom Florida

For the existence of humankind it is imperative to recognize the life of a fetus as a developing human being at the time of conception. Pro lifers who believe in the Almighty God need to band together to stand up for our basic human rights to life. Everyone conceived has an undeniable right to life regardless of how the mother feels. Women were created to procreate. It is absolute murder to kill a child a human being during the gestation period at the beginning of its life.

bettybarnesb 6 years agofrom Bartlett, TN

What a beautiful hub. God has a very special plan for each child that is conceived. The world could miss out on something great, if the child conceived isn't born.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

2besure - My heart truly breaks for anyone who has had an abortion or even payed for one. I cannot imagine the pain, suffering and guilt that must accompany that action. It is so important to forwarn women about this before they decide to have one - which is something Planned Parenthood does not do.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

HealthyHanna - you are right. Adults need to be more responsible, sometimes depending on their upbringing though it is hard to make good choices. I think that's why it is so important for those who are emotionally healthy to reach out to those who may not be and we need to always try to set good examples. Thanks so much for your comment.

Pamela Lipscomb 6 years agofrom Charlotte, North Carolina

The scars of having an abortion last a life time. Trust me it can not be easily forgotten.

HealthyHanna 6 years agofrom Utah

I wish we could protect the unborn, both rrom abortion and from being born to an abusive situation. This subject breaks my heart.

Adults just need to be responsible. That includes their sex life, beheavior, and impulses.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Hello, hello - thank you so much for your comment - it is very encouraging for me.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Elena - so good to hear from you! Yes, they SHOULD have rights - they are the littlest forms of human beings.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Ken - thank you so much for your encouragement. I was wondering what kind of reaction this hub would get and I am happy to see it is getting a lot of support - even tho Google disabled their ads!

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

specialk - if only that girl you talked to would know the truth. How can a mother not at least give their child a chance at life, even if they don't want that child for themselves. It would be painful to give up a child for adoption - but you are right, that is a consequence of some people's actions.

Thanks for your comment and your continual support.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

itakins - so good to hear from you! You are blessed to live in a country where the atrocity of legalized abortion does not take place. I pray that Ireland continues to stand for the rights of the unborn child.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

thomasczech - thank you so much for your comment. A life is a life whether inside or outside the womb - so true. I don't understand how everyone can not see this. I know there are these issues in Canada as well and I pray that abortion is outlawed there as well as here and around the world.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

eovery - yes, it is sad and I wanted to cry while I wrote this. How can people not see that these little forms of life need to be protected? But I know that each of these little babies that are murdered in the womb must go right into the arms of Jesus so there is hope in that. Thanks for your comment.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

Pamela - I don't see how any doctor can provide late-term abortions and still have a conscience. It is a brutal practice that needs to be completely outlawed. Thanks again for your support.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

prairieprincess - thank you so much for your kind and encouragin words. I truly appreciate it.

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Cari Jean 6 years agofrom Bismarck, ND

happyboomernurse - thank you so much for your wonderful, insightful comment. We really do need to stay on top of this because it is going to be an ongoing issue and maybe just maybe if there are enough people standing up for fetal rights, Roe v. Wade could be done away with.

Hello, hello, 6 years agofrom London, UK

This is a very hard subject to handle but you wrote a magnificient hub, Very interesting pictures.

Elena 6 years agofrom London, UK

Wow. Very interesting and thought provoking. They are tiny beings - so I guess they do have rights.

Nice photos too. :)

Ken R. Abell 6 years agofrom ON THE ROAD

Excellent!!! Rated up & useful. Thank you for sharing truth in a fresh, uncompromising manner. Be blessed & encouraged.

Karen Metz 6 years agofrom Michigan

I had one person tell me that going through the pain of giving up your baby for adoption is worse than aborting. I told her that either way there is going to be pain because there is a consequence to having premarital sex. I am not sure if she listened, she was just wanting what she thought was a quick and easy way out by murdering her baby.

I totally agree with you on this subject! These precious lives need someone to fight for them.

itakins 6 years agofrom Irl

Thank you Cari Jean for speaking up as always for these poor little human beings ,who cannot speak for themselves.Thank God abortion is not legal in Ireland -and I pray it never will be ,despite the efforts of so many groups to have the law changed.

God Bless.

thomasczech 6 years agofrom Canada

Thank you for writing on this issue. Many more people need to ban together to fight for the children. We have many rallies here in Canada in support of Life, but murder of children still continues.

A life is a life, whether in the womb or outside the womb. Vote up!

eovery 6 years agofrom MIddle of the Boondocks of Iowa

This is so sad, it makes me want to cry. Yet, I know Heavenly Fathers plan and this gives me great reason and hope.

Keep on hubbing!

Pamela Oglesby 6 years agofrom United States

Cari, I agree fetal rights should be a consideration. I think late term abortion is murder. They take babies that are breathing and give them no medical attention which kills them. They are born alive! How is that a fetus? You wrote an excellent hub, rated up.

Sharilee Swaity 6 years agofrom Canada

I agree with you completely. Excellent article. It makes me so sad that the rights of these, the most vulnerable humans of all, are not recognized. You did an excellent job of presenting the case, and backed it up with solid information. Bravo.

Gail Sobotkin 6 years agofrom South Carolina

No matter which side of this issue people are on, you've presented compelling and comprehensive information about proposed and existing legislation that exists on this topic. To quote the statement by John Kerry, "I have serious concerns about this legislation because the law cannot simultaneously provide that a fetus is a human being and protect the right of the mother to choose to terminate her pregnancy." Therein lies the great dilemma that our legislative branch faces.

Thanks for giving voice to the unborn who have no voice and are therefore unable to stand up for themselves.

This ongoing, highly emotional and important issue needs to be kept in the public limelight.